Grey Matters The Magazine of Grey College Association February 2012 ABOVE: Linda Johnson drew this image of Grey College in 1979, since then not much has changed other that the regimental growth of the trees, but with the first phase of the Jubilee Development Project due to be completed during 2012 the structural appearance of the Hollingside building will be significantly altered for the first time in 52 years. A Letter from the New Association President Dear Association Members, Welcome to this edition of Grey Matters. It’s all change at Grey at the moment, the election of myself as Association President possibly the most insignificant of them all. We have a new Master, Professor Tom Allen, we have the first phase of the Jubilee Development Project nearing completion and the JCR has now become a registered charity in order to secure a continued level of autonomy from the University centre. You’ll ABOVE: Thomas Cliff, Association President find articles on each of these developments in the following pages. Facebook and Linked-in communities. In the College we have continued to support the For those of you who don’t know me I want to three common rooms with a range of start by introducing myself. My name is activities including: sponsored formals, Thomas Cliff and I graduated from Grey in extended the number of travel bursaries, 2001 with a Chemistry Degree, since then I’ve continued delivery of the careers day for had a successful career as a Management graduating students and we’ve continued to Consultant working in London and the North develop and expand our Business Angels East, where I am now based. During this time scheme. I’ve also maintained a strong relationship with Of course none of this would be possible the College including being a College Mentor without the ongoing support of the College (formally College Tutor). Before my election and the assistance of the Association’s as President I was secretary of the Association Executive Officers and to all of them I offer for nine years working with past Presidents to my thanks. develop the Association and introduce initiatives such as the Business Angels Scheme Finally I want to take this opportunity to ask and the London Reunion. During my you to join us to continue to make Grey Presidency I want to continue to develop the College the best and most connected College Association and work with the younger with its Alumni in Durham, whether it is by members of our alumnus to make our events attending a one of our reunions, becoming a more appealing to our new members whilst Business Angel, contributing to the next maintaining the elements that continue to edition of Grey Matters, holding your own make our Association one of the most active smaller reunion or by making a donation to and engaging in the University. the next phase of the Jubilee Development Project, I’d welcome your support. Grey is a During the last year we have continued to great place and I want everyone who wants deliver a wide range of services and activities to, have the opportunity to continue to make for both Alumni and current College members it so. alike. For our Alumni we have held two highly THOMAS CLIFF successful reunions in Durham and London as well as extending our reach by developing our Association President Grey Matters FEBRUARY 2012 First Impressions of Grey Professor Tom Allen on his first term as Master My first official day was October 1: the same day that the Freshers arrived. I don't think I could have picked a better day to start. I've been at Durham for most of the last twenty years, but seeing the excitement of the freshers, the enthusiasm of the freshers' helpers, and the dedication of the staff was something special. As first impressions go, it was the best. ABOVE: Professor Tom Allen, Master Things have been a bit quieter since then – Durham's success is down to many things, but but not that much quieter! The JCR, MCR and the strength of the College system is one of SCR have been running a steady programme the most important. Grey must continue to of events, and new things are happening all do what it has always done: give its members the time. To take just a couple of examples, the chance to lead the richest lives possible, our JCR is starting an impressive outreach so that being at university becomes much project called 'Grey in the Community', which more than being in the classroom. will bring disabled children into the campus for a day of sports and other activities. The The Alumni are central to this. Already, many MCR have started a new series of research of you have been very generous with your seminars given by Grey's own postgrad time in supporting the College. We have students. The SCR has run some very Alumni serving as Mentors, Business Angels, successful public lectures, including Max Ziff's members of the JCR and the Grey Trust talk on the EU financial crisis and another, for boards, and as members of the College and this term, from Martin Ward on the Ultimate University Councils. Many of you have also Fate of the Universe (any relationship donated generously to the Grey Trust. The between the two is purely coincidental). Trust is tremendously important to Grey: we would not have our programme of visiting Looking forward, we need to ensure that Grey fellows, and many of our clubs and societies continues to thrive. This is a period of would not be as strong as they are. tremendous change in Higher Education. On the positive side, the University as a whole is Thanks to the Grey Trust, Phase I of the in excellent shape. Durham is one of the very Jubilee Project - the extensions to the JCR and best universities in the UK, and it is developing the Victor Watts Library - is nearly complete. a reputation as one of the best in the world. It Phase II will include several projects. One of is investing heavily in education, and that them will focus on improvements to investment is having an effect: applications Fountains Hall. It gets plenty of use, but the from UK students for undergraduate places years have taken their toll and it is not what it are higher than ever, despite the rise in tuition should be. We would like refurbish it, do fees. It is the same story with the some remodelling, and add a mezzanine floor. international and postgraduate students: fees This will allow us to put in a decent gym and have also gone up, but it seems that demand create some space for art exhibits and other to get into Durham is as strong as ever, if not activities. In the other part of Phase II, we will stronger. be adding space elsewhere in College to accommodate more fellows. Fellows add so much to College life: this year, we have Grey Matters FEBRUARY 2012 welcomed people like Professor Marius Roome applications to Durham. The University has a and Dr Sandra Escher, who are experts in the good programme of financial support, but we treatment of auditory hallucinations. need some flexibility in College to help the Professor Mik Bickis, of the University of students that might slip between the cracks. Saskatchewan, joined us as our Alan Richards We also want to support our student clubs Fellow in Mathematics, and Ann Rachlin came and societies: for many students, joining one back to Grey to launch her new book, Edy was of the clubs and societies at Grey makes their a Lady. We are commissioning designs for life at University truly memorable. The Trust Phase II at the moment, and I hope to be able has helped out in the past, and hopes to to share them with you soon. continue doing so. I am hoping that we can revive the chaplaincy, Finally, I would like to congratulate Henry and give it a focus on outreach and leadership. Dyson, who was given the Dunelmensis award Ideally, a Chaplain would link two important by the University on January 12th. The award aims: first, to ensure that Grey College and its is made to Alumni who have demonstrated a students become a force for change in the dedicated and prolonged service to the broader community; and secondly, to give the University. It is a very high honour: the students an opportunity to develop their University only makes one award each year, understanding of the role of faith and and as Martyn's oration shows, nobody compassion in leadership. Whether this will deserved it more than Henry. It was also be possible depends on our ability to raise entirely fitting that it was presented by funds, as University resources are limited. another Grey alumnus, our Vice-Chancellor Chris Higgins. The Trust is also working to ensure that financial worries do not distract our current Professor Tom Allen students from their studies, or discourage Master, Grey College Reflecting on 8 Years at Grey Professor Martyn Chamberlain on stepping down as master of Grey As many of you will know 2011 was our last providing a place where the paste the present year at Grey College. I find it hard to believe and the future overlapped in to one stream. that, almost eight years ago, a rather elderly removal van from Nelson’s of Durham left our Eight years as Master out of fifty-two years old house in Leeds and made its way slowly up history is not a long time; but sufficient, I the A1 to our new Home in Hollingside Lane.